Throne Of Supreme

Chapter 271: Come to the Door

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The Imperial Palace.

Najenda diligently attended to her official duties, her focus unwavering.

Lubbock, on the other hand, sat beside her in a nonchalant manner, his feet propped up on the back of a chair, fingers tapping rhythmically on the armrest.

Ding, ding, ding.

The crisp sound echoed through the palace hall.

Najenda set her pen down, looked up, and said with a hint of irritation, "If you have nothing to do, come and help me with this work!"

"I would love to share your burdens, but the problem is—I don't know how to do it!"

Lubbock's eyes suddenly lit up with a mischievous glint, and he grinned with a lecherous expression. "How about I give you a shoulder massage instead?"

Najenda shot him a glance.

"Fine. My shoulders have been a little sore these past two days."

"Yes, sir!"

Bulat leapt out of his chair with enthusiasm.

Just then, a knock on the door interrupted the moment.

Lubbock stopped in his tracks, looking visibly annoyed. "Najenda, we—"

Najenda silenced him with a glare and said in a deep voice, "Come in!"

A soldier entered, saluting respectfully.

"General!"

Najenda leaned back, crossing her hands under her chin. "What is it?"

The soldier stepped forward and reported, "A man has arrived in the imperial capital, claiming to be a practitioner from overseas. He set up a ring and placed a box of gold as a reward, declaring that anyone who defeats him can take all the gold."

Najenda raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. "Has anyone claimed the gold yet?"

The soldier shook his head. "No, General. He has displayed extraordinary strength. So far, no challenger has lasted more than ten seconds against him."

"He's that strong?" Najenda nodded slowly, a thoughtful expression on her face.

The soldier continued, "Additionally, he is suspected of being a Teigu user. He created the arena out of thin air. However, we have not yet confirmed what kind of Teigu he possesses."

"An Imperial Weapon user?"

Najenda's expression turned serious.

Ordinary masters were nothing special; even the strongest among them were only comparable to the Four Rakshasa Demons of the past.

But an Imperial Weapon user was entirely different. Such power had the potential to cause large-scale destruction. Currently, the greatest threat to the country's stability was precisely this—an unknown Imperial Weapon user.

Lubbock, who had been listening intently, interjected, "Besides the fights, has he done anything else?"

The soldier shook his head again. "No. He only appears in the ring. Once the battles conclude, he vanishes into thin air. His whereabouts remain unknown."

Lubbock leaned back and said with a grin, "The only way to deal with an Imperial Weapon user is with another Imperial Weapon user. Najenda, don't mobilize the army yet. Let's go investigate first and decide what to do from there."

Najenda pondered for a moment before nodding. "Alright, but the two of us alone won't be enough. We need to be prepared for any unexpected situations. Let's bring Susanoo with us."

Lubbock's face fell immediately. "Ugh! Do we have to bring him?"

Najenda's tone was firm. "You heard the report. That Imperial Weapon user is very powerful. If things escalate, are you confident you can handle it alone?"

Lubbock sighed in defeat. "Fine, let's bring Susanoo."

Najenda turned to the soldier. "You're dismissed. I'll handle this matter personally."

"Yes, General!"

The soldier saluted and exited the room.

Lubbock, still unconcerned, leaned back with a nostalgic sigh. "Working together to fight an Imperial Weapon user… It feels like the old days with the Night Raid."

A similar look of reminiscence appeared on Najenda's face.

"Najenda," Lubbock asked after a pause, "are Akame and the others still dealing with Esdeath?"

Lubbock had encountered Esdeath once. Though undeniably beautiful, the overwhelming aura she exuded had made his legs go weak, even from a distance.

Najenda nodded. "Yes. Only Akame and Kurome can hold her back."

After a moment of silence, Lubbock suddenly stood up.

"Najenda."

"Hmm?" Najenda looked up at him.

Lubbock flashed an obscene grin, raising his hands and wiggling his ten fingers mischievously.

"Let's continue what we were doing!"

Najenda's expression turned speechless. When Lubbock approached, she delivered a firm punch to his head.

---

Ton tun tun tun!

Leone downed a full glass of beer in one breath, slammed the glass down, and wiped her mouth with satisfaction.

"Haha, that hit the spot!"

The people around her looked on with envy.

"I really envy you, Leone. You don't have to work a single day, yet you always have endless money and can drink whenever you want."

Leone grinned and replied, "This is the reward I earned with my life."

After the fall of the empire, she had distanced herself from war and killing.

Leone wasn't suited to being an official, and though she longed to fight again, her boss wouldn't allow it. So, she spent her days wandering the streets aimlessly.

She enjoyed this carefree life, but after a while, it began to feel a bit dull.

"Drink up! Drink up!"

Leone lifted her cup, but just as she was about to take another swig, she paused. Her gaze shifted to the side, where two men were arguing, their faces flushed red.

She listened for a moment, then staggered over and slammed her palm onto their table.

"What are you two arguing about?"

The pair jumped in surprise but relaxed as soon as they recognized her.

"It's Leone!"

"Leone, don't you know? A powerful guy showed up from the south. He put out a box of gold and declared that he'd challenge all the masters in the imperial capital. Whoever can beat him gets the gold!"

One of them gestured with his hands to show the box's size.

"Is it real?" Leone narrowed her eyes. "With that much gold, who would be willing to just give it away?"

"No, no, it's true!" the man insisted. "Besides, this Aoki guy is insanely strong. So far, no one has lasted more than ten seconds against him. I doubt anyone can claim that gold."

The other man scoffed. "Hmph! He won't be so arrogant for long. The imperial capital is full of hidden talents and experts. There's no way they'll let some outsider strut around like that!"

The two resumed their argument, voices rising.

Bang!

Their quarrel stopped abruptly.

Leone's palm smacked the table, and she leaned in, her eyes gleaming with a surprising intensity.

"What did you say his name was?"

"Aoki!" one of the men replied, clearly a fan.

"He's tall, handsome, and—"

Leone interrupted, giving a quick description of someone from her memory.

"Is this what he looks like?"

"Yeah, that's him! That's exactly what Master Aoki looks like!"

It really is him! He's back!

Leone's eyes sparkled with excitement.

---

The next day.

Najenda, Lubbock, and Susanoo arrived at the so-called arena.

The scene before them was overwhelming. A massive crowd had gathered, their cheers and chatter filling the air.

Najenda's expression turned serious as she surveyed the scene.

"The influence he's built is already this widespread…"

Lubbock, standing beside her, muttered uneasily, "I just hope he doesn't have any ill intentions."

"Here he comes!" Susanoo suddenly shouted.

Najenda and Lubbock immediately turned their eyes toward the ring.

In the center of the empty arena, a black-haired young man appeared as if out of thin air.

The moment Lubbock laid eyes on him, he blurted out in shock, "Aoki?!"

Najenda froze for a moment before letting out a small sigh, a mix of amusement and helplessness on her face.

She had planned for every possible scenario, yet she hadn't expected him.

Still, one thing was certain: Aoki was strong—strong enough to be a potential disaster.

"Who wants to challenge me?"

Aoki's voice echoed across the arena, silencing the crowd.

Suddenly, a blonde figure shot forward like a cheetah, moving so quickly she seemed to blur past everyone. Without stopping, she sprinted straight onto the ring.

"I want to challenge you!"

Lubbock's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Leone?!"